Lopez-Wizards Update

[updated with DCU-TFC result at bottom]

Following up on our exclusive report from this morning (actually, dating back several weeks from when we first broke this story).....

Just got off the phone with Wizards Coach Curt Onalfo, who confirmed that Claudio Lopez has joined the team in Buenos Aires. As a matter of fact, when I reached Onalfo, Lopez was on the bus with his new teammates. Destination: team barbeque (mmmm, Argentine beef). All that remains is for Lopez to pass a physical and finalize the paperwork, Onalfo said.

On the DCU front, as we reported last week, English-born midfielder Dan Stratford, selected in the supplemental draft from West Virginia University, has finalized a developmental contract with the club. The official announcement was made today.

Be sure to check Dan Steinberg's Sports Bog for a look at DCU's Argentine contingent meeting the San Antonio Spurs.

[updated]

At the Texas Pro Soccer Festival, United defeated Toronto, 1-0, on Josh Gardner's goal in the 84th minute. As expected, DCU utilized its reserves.

Oh man, what I wouldn't give for a real Argentine asado right now. Heck, even a trip to a mediocre parilla and a bottle of malbec sounds fantastic at the moment. My question is, how does Lopez compare to Gallardo, and even Eddie Johnson?

Another great day of updates! I am going to miss all of this information when you work the basketball tournaments. Looking forward to the end of the NCAAs so we can get back to the business of the World's game.

At lease our baseball diamond won't have
the consistency of a moguls hill! RFK's was an absolute discrace the past three years. How many goals were directly affected by the poor grass installation? Yeah, exactly.

Oh, and our new stadium breaks ground this summer, I really wonder how many years before dc fans can say the same...just asking.

A fair number of TFC's starters are off for Olympic qualifying and other international duties. The other night against Houston, they used maybe half of their starting XI, plus reserves and trialists in a 4-3 loss to the Dynamo. I'd imagine their lineup wasn't much different tonight, though some of the starters probably got a rest having played just two days before.

Please don't come onto a thread about Claudio Lopez -- who has never heard of Poplar Point and will never step foot on this holy land -- and ask me a question I cannot possibly answer to your satisfaction.

Oh boy do I wish we had hired Pia last time around instead of that guy . . . .what was his name?
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U.S. head coach Pia Sundhage

On dealing with high pressure during a physical game:
"You win in different ways. Against China was one way, and against Italy was another way. You are playing against a physical team, and during the game, it is a lot of hard work. And that's one part of soccer, so it's good to get out with a win and deal with the feeling that (the game) is not easy. You have to be precise with your passes, you have to precise receiving the ball and that is a good experience for all of us. Even for me as a coach, sometimes I say, 'just play it behind the back line' which would an easier way to play, but that's not the way we want to play and that's not the way we can win the big games in the future."

Real Salt Lake is going to play with Real Madrid. I don't understand why DCU has not made partnership with a better known team in the world other than some Brazilian unknown team while Real Salt Lake was able to partnered with the power house like Madrid!!! Oh, why why why???

Real Salt Lake is going to play with Real Madrid. I don't understand why DCU has not made partnership with a better known team in the world other than some Brazilian unknown team while Real Salt Lake was able to partnered with the power house like Madrid!!! Oh, why why why???

why why why would we need to do this? Maybe if we had a deeper squad and tons of free time, but our schedule this year is beyond crowded. There is no room for anymore games. Remember what happened last time we played Real Madrid? Our season took a nosedive right after. Much like the All-Star game, wouldn't it be better to just take a breather?

At lease our baseball diamond won't have
the consistency of a moguls hill! RFK's was an absolute discrace the past three years. How many goals were directly affected by the poor grass installation? Yeah, exactly.

Oh, and our new stadium breaks ground this summer, I really wonder how many years before dc fans can say the same...just asking.

Posted by: kcboy | March 7, 2008 07:09 PM

A. Find your own blog in your local KC newspaper...what? don't have one! Must be in the sticks then.

B. What's a "moguls hill?"

C. NASL used to play on fields where the infield wasn't even covered. DC's at least was.

D. How many goals? None that I can remember. Seriously, it played nicely.

E. Don't count your stadium before your firs $5 hotdog. Your owners are poor as far as sports owners go. Not billionaires. They need credit. This nation is in a credit crisis. I wouldn't be surprised to see a delaying announcement.

Please don't come onto a thread about Claudio Lopez -- who has never heard of Poplar Point and will never step foot on this holy land -- and ask me a question I cannot possibly answer to your satisfaction.

thanks for the coverage and good work. Ignore the punters, Goff. The simple fact is you don't have to do this blog and yet you update it daily, often thrice daily. Thanks for this. It's made the last 2 offseasons bearable!

C - and that has what to do with anything? you couldn't even get your field layout correct if I remember right.

D - Two goals I know for a fact, one for and one against. Real dc fans probably can think of more.

E - whatever, that's just sour grapes. Needing credit and getting credit are two different concepts. You think Uncle Phil needs public money to build an SSS? Yet he still goes after it. It's call smarts and the fact that the "poor" kc owners are able to do a billion dollar project makes them smarter than most I guess. And sticks or not, a billion dollars is a billion dollars. And that's what we are doing out here in cow-town!

Come over to the Cauldron on the 29th and we'll buy you a beer after we take all 3 on our little diamond. We'll be happy to show you haters a little mid-west hospitality.

Goff, you're awesome. Don't let the detractors get to you. It's frustrating sometimes I'm sure, but you're much appreciated around here to the majority of posters/readers. We take your word for things (You've certainly earned that right).

Nice one, Goffinho!! Any popular blog is going to draw it's share of morons. Unlike posters like Mastodon Juan and Papa Bear, who though they may bait, incite and annoy, generally make an effort to build coherent attacks/arguements), these people exercise the right to freedom of speech more like a drunk driver (tending to the rude, illogical and downright stupid) than as a rational being. On occaision these Cro-Magnons can be an entertaining diversion, but more often than not they are simply an irritant. Kudos to you for the patience to put up with these a$$clowns.

**Off-topic**
As a Man.United supporter I'd like to congratulate Portsmouth, it sucks that we are out of the Cup but wish Pompey the best and hope that they go all the way.
Posted by: Red Devil | March 8, 2008 12:53 PM
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You know ManU has no excuse lossing this game. They ought to be very ashamed of themselves. As an Unted fan myself I can't believe they just lost. Refs are sometimes game fixers. With all these stars it just beyond shamefull. Every game is important. How can they let it go this way? Disgussting.

why why why would we need to do this? Maybe if we had a deeper squad and tons of free time, but our schedule this year is beyond crowded. There is no room for anymore games. Remember what happened last time we played Real Madrid? Our season took a nosedive right after. Much like the All-Star game, wouldn't it be better to just take a breather?
Posted by: apqjr | March 8, 2008 11:10 AM
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I didn't mean playing too many friendlies but if we have partnership with a well known league I believe it would bring United more recognition and better insight knowledge over all. I certainly didn't want any meaningless games in the middle of important season.

TD: Having seen the highlights of the game I can tell you that Man.United were very unlucky not to win today but you have to give credit to Pompey for defending well and sticking to their game plan. I understand your frustration, but it just wasn't their day today.

Thanks Curious! Keep up the great work...but what are you going to do when the season starts? ;)

Re: why why why
-I can understand wanting more recognition, but DCU has done a beautiful job of EARNING this on merit alone. Any recognition received from abroad, has been almost solely due to our exploits on the field. We obviously don't win everything, but we are consistently earning our way into these bigger tournaments, and becoming more competitive as the seasons go by.

Also, when you look at the bigger picture of the league as a whole, MLS teams are actually benefitting from these "partnerships" with "Brazilian unknown teams."

Not to pick on you why why why, but I think we are doing things here the right way. Real Madrid and La Liga aren't the only ticket in town. We are blessed with having some of the best leagues and teams in the world on this side of the Atlantic.

OK, brown nose, how is anyone an assclown who questions the integrity of Post reporter? Did you read LL? I mean, really. Read first. Goff isn't God and the Post isn't the great tablet of all-knowing. There is some serious impropriety between Nakamura and Fenty's admin.

OK, brown nose, how is anyone an assclown who questions the integrity of Post reporter? Did you read LL? I mean, really. Read first. Goff isn't God and the Post isn't the great tablet of all-knowing. There is some serious impropriety between Nakamura and Fenty's admin.

Posted by: Ethics | March 8, 2008 03:11 PM

The problem isn't the questions of integrity. Those are valid questions but this is not the place to ask them. Goff has stated repeatedly where those questions should be directed. And there are other threads on this blog more appropriate to bring those questions up in. Asking those questions here is like asking a coach about your history homework during the middle of practice, there just might be a better person and a better place to ask.

The problem isn't the questions of integrity. Those are valid questions but this is not the place to ask them. Goff has stated repeatedly where those questions should be directed. And there are other threads on this blog more appropriate to bring those questions up in. Asking those questions here is like asking a coach about your history homework during the middle of practice, there just might be a better person and a better place to ask.
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OK, brown nose, how is anyone an assclown who questions the integrity of Post reporter? Did you read LL? I mean, really. Read first. Goff isn't God and the Post isn't the great tablet of all-knowing. There is some serious impropriety between Nakamura and Fenty's admin.

And Loose Lips is THE bastian of journalistic ethics and guardian of the truth. The BS meter just pegged on that idiotic statement. Please face some FACTS (a word you may not be familiar with). LL is nothing more than a glorified gossip column, and has a history chequered with as many misses as hits when it comes to information. In addition, LL has an axe to grind: they're taking pot-shots at their biggest competitor. They make no bones about it, even acknowledging it in the column, and you think that doesn't affect the slant with which they wrote it?Finally, read the column itself. There are enough assumptions, stretched statements and tenuous logic to make the National Enquirer look good. For example, "But it was clear that the mayor's people had hammered out a sole-source contract with the Post to broadcast news about the schools chancellor." Really? How is that clear? Where in the emails is there any reference to a deal, or even hint of one? Funny, but back when I was studying journalism, this was called "investigative journalism", "chasing a story" or even (God forbid!) "cultivating a source." Sounds to me more like sour grapes than impropriety. But then again, I take the word of a multi-Pulitzer winning nationally respected newspaper over that of a local rag with inadequacy issues, so what do I know. Thank you for making the case for my earlier post.

Wow. I really touched some nerves there. I don't frequent the comments section except for every blue moon so I haven't seen any questions like that before. I think it's a reasonable question. I know athletes don't like getting asked the hard questions after a tough loss, etc. Especially if the question is about a team mate. I think it's just what happens when you open yourself up to a blog.

I have a feeling SG doesn't hold back when he asks questions so why should I? I don't really think my question was out of line anyways. If you're worried about context you just have to realize that I don't frequent this place every day like, perhaps, many others do. Repeat questions will come. Post a FAQ if it is too bothersome.

LL wasn't the only tall, handsome, impeccably dressed gentleman roaming the Wilson Building halls this afternoon.

D.C. United owner and real-estate mogul Victor MacFarlane was making the rounds of D.C. Council offices late today, trying to gauge and drum up support for public funding for a Ward 8 soccer stadium.

LL caught up with MacFarlane on his way out of the building about 20 minutes ago and asked him what his message was to councilmembers today. MacFarlane declined to talk specifics, but spoke in broad terms: "I think we're focusing on the main principles....We're going to provide substantial equity that doesn't require any new taxes."

Yesterday, a Washington Post article revealed that Mayor Adrian M. Fenty was in talks with MacFarlane about public funding for a stadium at Poplar Point.

MacFarlane has lobbied for a soccer stadium on Poplar Point since the days of Mayor Anthony A. Williams, but the talks came as a surprise, because MacFarlane's company had declined to submit a bid to serve as master developer of the Poplar Point project after Fenty decided to open the land to other developers.

MacFarlane did say that he's "very satisfied" with the announcement yesterday of Clark Realty as the master developer and that he and Clark had already begun talks about the stadium.

Asked if he was confident of council approval for any public-private partnership on the stadium, MacFarlane said: "I'm hopeful."